Health ministry denies detection of Covid-19 XE variant in Mumbai

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday dismissed reports of the detection of more contagious Covid-19 variant, XE, in Mumbai and said evidence does not suggest the presence of the variant in the country.

“Present evidence doesn't suggest that it's 'XE' variant. FastQ files of the sample, being said to be 'XE' variant was analysed by INSACOG genomic experts who inferred that genomic constitution of this variant doesn't correlate with genomic picture of 'XE' variant,” the ministry said.

The rebuttal came shortly after the Graeter Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claimed that the XE variant was detected in the city during the genome sequencing of samples.

The BMC said that the patient is a 50-year-old fully vaccinated female who had arrived from South Africa on February 10. She was asymptomatic and had tested negative for Covid-19 on arrival in India.

According to the Mumbai civic body, a Kappa variant of the virus has also been detected in the city. The results came in the genome sequencing of 376 samples, the 11th batch of testing in genome sequencing lab. Of the 230 samples from Mumbai, 228 samples are of Omicron variant, while one was found to be Kappa variant and another XE variant, the BMC said in a statement.

According to the World Health Organisation, the XE is a mutation of the BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron strains and was first detected in the UK on January 19. Early indications suggest it could be around 10 per cent more transmissible than other Omicron mutations.

So far there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity or vaccine effectiveness, the UK Health Security Agency said.

The XE variant has been detected in Thailand and New Zealand, too. 

There is no evidence XE is any more serious in disease severity, with all Omicron variants so far shown to be less severe. The WHO said further data is required before more can be said about the mutation.